Just had another idea ..... You have recovered the dash in cream leather so I see why you are thinking about wood as a nice contrast.Lotus-e-Clan wrote:Nice wheel (in itself).theelanman wrote:I thought like this....sort of.....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/233144151185?u ... noapp=true
AFAICR, the Elite column is non-adjustable. It would annoy the hell out of me if a replacement wheel obscured the instruments or warning lights in any way.
Smaller diameter steering wheels, and/or those without flat / horizontal boss arms are likely to obscure something. Personally I couldn't live with that. You could of course re-arrange the instruments and warning lights to suit a new wheel.
I'd rather refurbish the original 70's wheel and think about getting 'tastefully creative' with the centre pad -as suggested earlier by 'pompey ice'. For example I could see a stitched/ribbed leather covered pad with widely-spaced L O T U S letters across the centre. I'd make a new one from scratch and keep the original as a back-up.
I'd try different approaches on paper first - all black, all cream, black and cream. I'd try different fonts too - guided mostly by those popular in the seventies and those used by Lotus, and different finishes - chrome -black -stainless - aluminium etc.
When you look at the car from the outside it's clearly seventies. Anyone looking inside will expect to see clear seventies design cues too - otherwise it would 'jar' and possibly lose respect from those looking to admire and absorb the vibe.
It's not my car -but you did invite suggestions/opinions - hope you don't mind too much my preference to keep it seventies!
So you could get the original wheel rim recovered in cream leather and make a high-gloss /burr walnut centre 'pad' It would be easy to shape wood in the image of the original pad given today's wood working tools (routers etc).
I'll get my coat.